Communities doing it for themselves

A staggering 1,300 Community Games have been registered by communities as it’s revealed more than 800,000 people are gearing up to enjoy their very own Olympic moments.

As Olympic fever grips the nation there’s been a surge in people registering to hold a Community Games event in villages, towns and cities across the country.

And with the final arrival of a bit of sunshine it is anticipated even more communities will embrace Olympic fever and decide to host a Community Games in their neighbourhood.

Whether it’s a fancy-dress themed mini-Olympics or a cake bake-off, families and communities are uniting at what is expected to be one of London 2012’s biggest legacy successes – Community Games.

Events are being held by members of local communities and are taking place in

community halls, parks, street parties and patches of green space.

In the run up to the Olympics a number of Community Games have already been held and have been a roaring success.

Community Games organisers were wowed when a man on a mission to re-ignite community spirit at a former RAF base, registered the 1,000thCommunity Games event.

The event is being held in Witham St Hughs Village Hall – which was once home to hundreds of Polish, and later British, airmen during the Second World War.

John Lane, aged 64, is organising the event - which is being held on August 5, at 10am in Witham St Hughs village hall - and is hoping it will help re-inject community spirit into the village which has seen new homes spring up in recent years.

The events, which are an initiative of Legacy Trust UK are being delivered by the YMCA and the County Sports Partnership Network.

Lee Mason, chief executive of the County Sports Partnership Network said: “The Community Games are about uniting families and communities and we really hope as many people participate in the games as possible.

We want to see people embracing the Olympics this summer in the heart of their very own communities.

We have a variety of Community Games taking place during the Olympics and school holidays, some are being held in community halls, others in streets and the range of activities on offer vary from egg and spoon races right through to rock climbing.”

For more information about Community Games log on to www.communitygames.org.uk or www.facebook.com/communitygamesuk